Compact Camera Suggestions

Raul C Palma · April 26, 2007

I am looking for suggestions on a good "compact" S8 camera. I want a small camera with good glass that is easy to carry while traveling.

Thanks

Bernhard Zitz · April 26, 2007

I am looking for suggestions on a good "compact" S8 camera. I want a small camera with good glass that is easy to carry while traveling.

Thanks

the eumig minis are the most compact I know. Only the mini5 has focus, the others have fixed focus. It's a long time ago I've used my mini2, can't remember about the glass quality.

The canon 310XL is very compact, the glass is not top high end, but surprising for a small plastic camera. The canon 318 is compact too.

A good thing are cameras with removable pistolgrip, without it's much easier to carry.

Or a camera with interchangeable lenses and use a short prime. My leicina with the 10mm schneider is rather compact and gave me some of the sharpest images I had on S8. You could do this with a beaulieu and get rid of the pistolgrip. But you would be stuck with one prime.

I don't know how compact you need, it's mostly the zoom range that defines the size, if you can live with a lens that doesn't go further than 36mm you might find rather compact cameras.

cheers, Bernhard

Grant Wilkinson · April 26, 2007

I've got a little Nizo s40 which is a delight to use... very compact!

Anthony Schilling · April 26, 2007

The Nizo 481 Macro is probably the smallest and most feature packed camera in existance.

Troy Warr · April 26, 2007

Nizos make good travel cameras because they're robust (most, if not all, have a metal body), and many of them have folding handles that help to keep them very compact. I had a Nizo 116 that I was very happy with, and I didn't hesitate to pack it in a suitcase or travel bag, as it always held up very well. Most have great German-designed glass, and the 116 at least is about as compact as you can make a Super-8 camera with a useful zoom lens.

Raul C Palma · April 29, 2007

Thanks for the suggestions. I was doing some research and I think that the canon 518, although is not super compact, has very good glass and is not as big.

What do you guys think about the 518 Auto Zoom?

Bernhard Zitz · April 29, 2007

Thanks for the suggestions. I was doing some research and I think that the canon 518, although is not super compact, has very good glass and is not as big.

What do you guys think about the 518 Auto Zoom?

I had two of these, didn't like'em at all. I gave both away, for free...

You can't get off the handle which makes it rather bulky. It's a long time ago, but if I remember right I wasn't very pleased with results I had with it, not sure if the glass is any good. But this is all very subjective.

If you're really going to buy a 518 make sure to get a Super8-model they also made a Single8-version it has a SV in the name "Canon 518 SV Autozoom"

In my first post I forgot about the compact nizos, I only can second what the others said...

jacob thomas · April 29, 2007

You can't get off the handle which makes it rather bulky. It's a long time ago, but if I remember right I wasn't very pleased with results I had with it, not sure if the glass is any good. But this is all very subjective.

If you're really going to buy a 518 make sure to get a Super8-model they also made a Single8-version it has a SV in the name "Canon 518 SV Autozoom"

My first camera was a 518 Autozoom and I was pretty pleased with the results from it, however, I definitely wouldn't call it a compact camera because of the big handle and it doesn't have 24fps.

If you're set on getting a 518 get the SV model which was the last in the 518 series and has 24fps and a slightly different body and handle design. (Canon made both a single 8 version and a super 8 version of this camera, but I've never seen the single 8 version while the super 8 version is on ebay quite frequently.)

Bernhard Zitz · April 30, 2007

If you're set on getting a 518 get the SV model which was the last in the 518 series and has 24fps and a slightly different body and handle design. (Canon made both a single 8 version and a super 8 version of this camera, but I've never seen the single 8 version while the super 8 version is on ebay quite frequently.)

Sorry for providing wrong info, I was telling complete nonsense, allthough in remembered it this way...

To know it better I checked http://super8wiki.com/index.php/Canon_518_SV_Autozoom

cheers, Bernhard

Rick Palidwor · May 2, 2007

I am looking for suggestions on a good "compact" S8 camera. I want a small camera with good glass that is easy to carry while traveling.

Thanks

I think the Canon 518 AZ is a good basic starter camera, but I wouldn't call it "compact". The 518 SV is better, but still not compact.

The Nizo's are a good choice becasue of the fold up handle.

I am surprised no one mentioned the Chinon pocket camera. Extremely compact, but limited lens and no 24 fps.

Rick

jacob thomas · May 3, 2007

I think the Canon 518 AZ is a good basic starter camera, but I wouldn't call it "compact". The 518 SV is better, but still not compact.

The Nizo's are a good choice becasue of the fold up handle.

Rick

I just got a Nizo 156 Macro, it has the most features (intervalometer, 9/18/24/36 fps, manual or auto exposure, etc) and best ergonomics I've ever seen in a compact camera.